Apple ID & Privacy

Apple ID is designed to protect your information and enable you to choose what you share.

When you sign in with your Apple ID you will enable services such as iCloud, the App Store, iMessage, and Find My iPhone on this iPhone.

Certain data including your contacts, calendars, photos, documents, health, activity, and other app data, will be sent to Apple to store and back up on your behalf.

In addition, your device will be associated with your Apple ID to provide you with better service and support.

Your Apple ID and all Apple services are designed from the ground up to protect your privacy. We work hard to collect only the data we need to make your experience better. When we do collect data, we believe it’s important for you to know what we’re collecting and why we need it, so you can make informed choices.

An Apple ID is the personal account you use to access Apple services like iCloud, the App Store, iTunes Store, iMessage, and FaceTime, and access your content across all your devices and the web. Your Apple ID includes the information you use to sign in, as well as all the contact, payment, and security details such as trusted phone numbers or security questions that you use across Apple services. Your device’s name, serial number and other hardware identifiers are also retained to provide you with better service and support. You can edit your Apple ID information and view a list of your devices on your Apple ID account page (https://appleid.apple.com).

When you sign in with your Apple ID you will enable services such as iCloud, the iTunes Store, the App Store, iMessage, FaceTime, and Find My Apple TV on this Apple TV. Your Apple ID account information will be used with each service and certain data from your device including your contacts, calendars, photos, documents, health, activity, Safari tabs, and other app data, will be sent to Apple to store and back up on your behalf.

iCloud and Privacy

Signing in to iCloud

When you use iCloud, certain data you store on your device will be automatically sent to and stored by Apple. This allows you to access your data on all your iCloud-enabled devices or computers (“Devices”) automatically. This data may include:

Contacts

Calendars

Reminders

Bookmarks

Safari tabs

Health data

Home data

Notes

Photos

Documents

Wallet data

Keychain and passwords

Device and account settings

Data from third-party apps that use iCloud

iCloud Backup is also enabled to help ensure you have a current backup of the data on your device in case you need to replace or restore it.

You can adjust which iCloud features are enabled and what data is sent to iCloud from Settings on your device at any time.

iCloud Data Security

iCloud protects your information by encrypting it when it’s in transit, storing it in iCloud in an encrypted format, and using secure tokens for authentication. For certain information, Apple uses end-to-end encryption. This means that by design, only you can access this information, and only on devices where you’re signed in to iCloud. No one else, not even Apple, can access end-to-end encrypted information. For more information on iCloud Data Security, see https://support.apple.com/kb/HT202303

In some cases, your iCloud data may be stored using third party partners’ servers, however, Apple never provides encryption keys to any third parties.

iCloud Keychain

iCloud Keychain keeps your Safari website usernames and passwords, credit card information, and Wi-Fi network information up to date and available across all your devices. It can also store the account information you use for Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Messages, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other internet accounts and automatically add this information to all of your devices.

iCloud Keychain uses end-to-end encryption and is designed so that only you can access this information and only on devices where you’re signed in to iCloud. No one else, not even Apple, can access your iCloud keychain data. You can choose to turn off iCloud Keychain in your iCloud settings at any time.

iCloud Backup

When you use iCloud Backup, your backup may include photos, videos, messages (iMessage, SMS, and MMS), Health and other app data, location settings (such as location-based reminders that you have set up), Visual Voicemail, device settings, device characteristics, and other data from your iOS device depending on your Settings.

You can stop iCloud from backing up your app data for a particular app, by going to Settings, tapping your Apple ID, tapping iCloud, tapping Manage Storage, tapping Backup, selecting the iOS device you’re on under the Backups section, and turning the switch off for the app(s) for which you’d like to disable backup.

You can turn off iCloud Backup entirely from iCloud settings and use iTunes to back up your iOS device to your computer. To completely remove your backup data from iCloud, you can delete your individual backups before turning off iCloud Backup. Otherwise the backup data will be retained for up to 180 days.

Sharing Data with iCloud

If you use iCloud to share files either publicly or privately in Notes, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and certain third-party Apps, Apple will store and have access to the shared file. Your first and last name associated with your account and the file name will be available to anyone who has access to the sharing link regardless of whether your share is private or public. The identities of private share participants will not be made available to anyone that has not been invited to and accepted the private share.

iCloud and Apps

Some apps use iCloud to store data and content you provide to the app, so you can access the data across all your iCloud enabled devices. The app may choose to store some or all of your data in iCloud. Third party apps can request to “Look you Up”, so that other users of that application can see your first and last name when they search by Apple ID.

You can stop an app from storing data in iCloud by turning the app off in iCloud settings under Apps Using iCloud.

Find My iPhone

When you sign in and enable iCloud on your device, certain features of Find My iPhone are enabled automatically. These include the ability to play a sound on your device, remotely lock and display a message on it, or remotely erase it. If you also enable Location Services, Find My iPhone can help you locate your device on a map or see where a supported accessory was last connected. If you choose to enable the Send Last Location feature, your device’s last known location will be automatically sent to Apple any time your device’s battery reaches a critically low level.

Enabling Find My iPhone on your iPhone will automatically enable it on any paired Apple Watch. You can also enable Find My iPhone for an Apple Watch, which will enable it on your paired iPhone.

When you use Find My iPhone, your device’s location, as well as information about your device and your account will be sent to and retained by Apple so Apple can provide you with the service. Your device’s location is only sent to Apple if you actively request the location of a device or accessory. Apple retains location information and makes it accessible to you for 24 hours, after which it is deleted.

When you have Location Services enabled, you can share your device’s current location with anyone you choose using Find My Friends and Share My Location. When using these features, your location is only sent to Apple if it is actively requested by a friend you are sharing with, and retained for 2 hours, after which it is deleted.

Find My Friends and Share My Location are only enabled when you actively choose to share your location with someone else.

Apple services that require iCloud

To use Apple services like Apple Pay, Activity sharing, Home, Handoff, Universal Clipboard, and auto-unlock with Apple Watch, you must be signed in to iCloud on your device. However, you do not need to use all iCloud features. You can turn off any iCloud features you don’t want to use in iCloud settings on your device.

Signing out of iCloud

If you wish to stop using iCloud on your iOS device and any paired Apple Watch, you may sign out of iCloud by going to Settings, tapping your Apple ID and tapping the Sign Out button. To stop using iCloud on your Mac, go to the iCloud pane within System Preferences and sign out of iCloud. Your Apple ID password may be required.

Family Sharing

Family sharing enables you to share content, location and screen usage information among family members. Any members of your family will be able to access your purchases and view your purchase history. If you enable purchase sharing, your family organizer will also receive receipts for any purchases made in the App Store, Apple Books, and iTunes. To hide purchases, disable Share My Purchases within Family Sharing settings. If you choose to share your location with your family, all family members you share with will be able to see the location of all your devices, unless you choose not to enable the Find my iPhone in Location Services, System Services settings on your device. If you enable Screen Time for Family, you will be able to view certain information about your family’s screen usage and set time limits if you choose. Only family members who are granted permission can view each other’s screen usage information.

iMessage and FaceTime

When you sign in with your Apple ID on your iPhone, you will be signed in to iMessage and FaceTime automatically. Your Apple ID or phone numbers will be shown to the people you contact, and people can reach you using your Apple ID, and email addresses or phone numbers on your account. You can learn more about iMessage and FaceTime and Privacy by going to Settings > Messages > “About iMessage and FaceTime & Privacy.”

iTunes & App Store & Music

When you sign in with your Apple ID on your iPhone, you will be signed in to the iTunes Store, App Store, and Apple Music automatically so that you can make purchases or begin using Apple Music quickly and easily. Any purchases you choose to make will be recorded in our systems so you can re-download them at any time. If you use Apple Music, your listening history may be retained and used to help provide personalized recommendations in “For You”. You can choose not to share your listening history from Apple Music settings.

If iTunes Match is available in your region and you use iTunes Match, iCloud will collect information about media in your iTunes library, and either match media to songs currently available in the iTunes Store or upload songs that cannot be matched, after which those songs can be accessed by your eligible devices.

Game Center

When you sign in with your Apple ID on your iPhone, you will be signed in to Game Center automatically. Game Center allows you to engage in game related activities, including, but not limited to, participation in leader boards, multi-player games, and tracking achievements.

When you use Game Center, your Game Center nickname and any associated data may be visible to other users. When playing a game that supports multiplayer functionality, other users accessing the Game Center from within the same game on the same Wi-Fi network, local area network or within range of Bluetooth will be able to see that you are nearby (unless you turn this feature off), and see your nickname. Only users with whom you have invited into a friend relationship can see your real name; only your nickname will be visible to users who you did not request to be your friend.

Usage Data

We also collect data on your use of iCloud to provide and improve the quality of the service. To help address customer issues if they arise, some of this data may be associated with your Apple ID. We may use your IP address to determine the city and country from which you are accessing the service but we do not retain it.

At all times, information received by Apple will be treated in accordance with Apple’s Privacy Policy, which can be found at www.apple.com/privacy

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Risks are inherent in the use of the Internet. Contact the vendor for additional information. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.